“There are four things that are very important in my life: faith, family, friends, and my profession. The trust I earn with my clients means everything to me. My word is gold and you can take that to the bank!”She grabs the reins and horse and rider become one — that 1st Place Buckle is all that is on her mind…When Kristi Jo Block is on her horse inside the arena, waiting for the cattle cutting competition to begin, a long-standing ritual starts. The murmur of the crowd and the announcer’s voice on the crackling loudspeaker fade away. There is a deafening silence in her mind as she intensely visualizes the strategy that she and her horse will undertake. She will replay it again in her mind, and then she visualizes that first-place belt buckle in her hand.Competitive NatureMore often than not, Kristi Jo will walk away with that first-place prize. She recently competed in the World Ranch Sorting National Championships and finished 8th place out of 700 teams! She has begun competing in Cattle Cutting competitions and is already winning awards and turning heads in this new field. You only need to spend a few minutes with Kristi Jo to realize the competitive streak that runs through her is incredibly intense. “I just have to be the best at everything,” laughs Kristi Jo. “People think I’m a quiet person, but when I compete, my personality changes, and I’m going to win—whatever it takes.”Kristi Jo grew up on a farm and hard work and chores were a part of daily life. “I learned to love that hard work ethic, that sense of accomplishment,” Kristi Jo notes. She competed in volleyball and basketball and graduated Salutatorian from high school. She went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Spanish.Equestrian PassionThe other thing you’d quickly learn from hanging out with Kristi Jo is that she is passionate about horses. That passion started as early as third grade. Her friends had horses, but convincing her parents to buy a horse was an epic battle, so young Kristi Jo would offer to help care for her friends’ horses in order to get riding time. She would ride for hours and one time had a search party looking for her. And of course, Kristi Jo eventually persevered and got her own horse from her parents. “I absolutely respect the beauty and majestic nature and athleticism of the horse,” she explains. Throughout her life, Kristi Jo has raised horses, ran a successful boarding business, showed Halter Horses and competed in Sorting and Penning.Business MindKristi Jo has always had a sharp business mind. In fact, she eventually took over the finances and bookkeeping for the family farm. When tough times hit the nation’s farmlands in the 80s, Kristi Jo’s mother turned her gift for quilting into a multi-million dollar business to supplement the family’s farm finances. Her mother, Shar Jorgenson, even had a popular quilting show, Quilting from the Heartland, on Public Television. Kristi Jo managed the books, did the marketing, and traveled the world doing trade shows. Kristi Jo also ran several of her own personal and family businesses. She worked for a stint for a land auction company. She handled marketing for the company, and more importantly, learned to assess land values and prepare farmland for auction and sale.Faith, Family, and FriendsFor Kristi Jo, the family is incredibly important, and along with her husband, Chris raised her two now-grown children, Samantha and Cole. The Block family loves hiking and traveling with other families in the great outdoors. Favorite destinations include Banff, Glacier National Park, Jackson Hole, and the Smoky Mountains. Kristi Jo also loves gardening and enjoys volunteering and ministering at her church.A Passion for Her Career in Real EstateWhere it all comes together—Kristi Jo’s driven, competitive spirit, her keen business mind and experience running businesses, her farming background, and her work with the land auction company—is in her 25-year career as a respected REALTOR® serving Kandiyohi County. Kristi brings equal expertise to both residential and farmland real estate.A Real Estate StarKristi Jo’s clients know from the moment they first meet her that she will tenaciously protect their best interests and provide service based on the utmost integrity. They also know her competitive streak will get them into the winner’s circle and a successful transaction. Buyers and sellers benefit from her extensive knowledge of the local inventory of homes for sale and pricing trends. Her creative marketing plans showcase properties in their best light, getting the property sold fast and for top dollar.Ready to make a move? Call Kristi Jo and Cement the Deal with Block!